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One of the top high school recruits in the country (top 30 overall, second-ranked linebacker), Smith stayed in his home state of Georgia to play football after being named the Class AA Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a senior. He played as a reserve his true freshman season (20 tackles, four for loss) before becoming a defensive leader in 2016. Smith played in all 13 games, starting 10, and leading the Bulldogs with 95 tackles (five for loss, one pass breakup).

By Lance Zierlein

NFL Analyst

Draft Projection

Round 1

NFL Comparison

Deion Jones

Overview

Smith is an ascending linebacker prospect with elite athletic ability, plus intelligence and an ability to be an effective cover linebacker on passing downs. While he's a little undersized, he does have the quickness and speed to keep himself from being mauled. He was good in 2016, but great in 2017 and projects as a player who hasn't tapped his full potential. Smith has Pro Bowl traits and talent and will come off the board in the first round.

Strengths

Former high school wideout with elite athletic ability

Speed demon who walks down backs looking to race him to the corner

Fluid and explosive in space

Block-slipper

Praised by his head coach as being a "tremendous leader" who holds himself accountable

Has instincts and football intelligence

Laser-sharp focus to finds the football when sifting through zone reads and jet sweeps

Plays with discipline

Senses when running backs are prepping for screen and fires downhill to stop it

Face-up tackler who sticks his nose in noise

Rare stop-start and change of direction talent

Flips pursuit from one target to the next seamlessly

Gets early bail into coverage against play-fake

Able to mirror and match against the most athletic running backs in coverage

Gets early jumps to join crossing routes and has the speed to carry them across the field

Searches out and squeezes receivers when playing zone

Weaknesses

Is a little undersized

Has to stay one step ahead of the blocking scheme or he can be engulfed by size

Will need to diagnose and trigger just a hair faster on the next level

Occasionally comes in hot rather than breaking down in space as a tackler

Will need more schooling on hand work when taking on blocks

Needs to do a better job of recognizing oncoming blocker in his periphery

Gets touched up by second level traffic and needs to continue to improve finding more efficient routes to the ball

Sources Tell Us

"Great player. Really fun to watch because he can get to just about any play on the field and he's only going to get better. You would love to play him inside but he may have to slide to WILL." -- AFC team personnel director